Hollow former for the manufacture of shoes



July 14, 1953 P. H. GALLAN HOLLOW FORMER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF S-IOES Filed Aug. 13, 1 951 INVENTOR PIERRE HENRI GALLAN BY www 1- ATTORNEYS Patented July 14, 1953 HOLLOW FORMER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Pierre Henri Gallan, Marseille, France Application August 13, 1951, Serial No. 241,621 In France February 10, 1951 4 Claims. (01. 12-133) The object of this invention is to provide an improved hollow last for all shoe-sizes permitting the complete and rapid manufacture of shoes by sewing.

According to the present-invention, the hollow shoe last comprises a hollow metal shell includ-- ing a toe, arch, and heel portion of a shape corre sponding to that of the shoe to be formed, said shell having in its upper surface aparallel-sided longitudinal opening extending from a point near the tip of the toe portion to a point near the rear end of the heel portion, an upper shaping block corresponding to the shape'ofthe upper vamp portion of the shoemounted above the hollow metal shell and engaged at its forward lower part in the opening of the shell, a bracket secured to the upper shaping block and extending along the top of the shell to the tip of the heel portion thereof, a releasable latch mounted on the bracket and adapted to engage with the heel portion of the shell to secure the bracket and the upper shaping block to the shell, and a handle mounted on the bracket for the manipulation of the last.

One side portion of the upper shaping block may be arranged to overlap the upper surface of the shell.

The bracket is preferably a two-armed angle bracket one of the arms of which is secured to the upper shaping block and the other of which is arranged rearwardly along the top of the shell The assembly of the two parts I and I constitutes thecomplete' last.

However, to prevent the first sole from falling into the open underpart of the shell when placed thereagainst, there is secured to the underside of the upper shaping block 1 a filler block (shown in broken line)'the lower surface of which, in the assembled position, is level with the lower periphery of the shell and thereby supports the first sole in position. Additionally, in practice, the first sole would slightly over-lap the lower peripheryof the shell forv further support at to the tip of the heel portion thereof, and car ries the latch and the manipulation handle.

The longitudinal opening at the upper surface of the shell may have a centering recess into which the forward part of the upper shaping block engages.

In the annexed drawings, given by way of non- I limiting example of one of the forms of construction of the invention: i

Fig. 1 shows the assembled last in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view.

The metallic shell I is hollowed at its lower part 2 to form an arch portion and has a parallelsided longitudinal opening in its top surface 3. 4

is a toe portion and 5 is a heel portion having The upper of the shoe is mounted on the block 1 while theshell I supports the hard tip, the stiffening, and'the wing portions. g

In assembling the shoe, the first sole is put in position, the periphery of the upper isturned down and the outer sole then covers the assembly, which is then glued. I

When the assembly is finished, the block I with the filler block attached thereto is drawn back by disengaging the latch H from the flange 6.

The first sole, the upper and the outer sole are then sewn, leaving at the interior of the shoe the metallic shell which maintains in shape, during this operation, the hard tip, the stilfening, and the wing portions, avoiding any deformation thereof.

I claim: -l. A hollow shoe last comprising a hollow metal shell including a toe, arch and heel portion of a shape corresponding to that of the shoe to be formed, said shell having in its upper surface a parallel-sided longitudinal opening extending 'from a point near the tip of the toe portion to a point near the rear end of the heel portion, an upper shaping block mounted above the hollow metal shell and engaged at its forward lower part in the opening of the shell, a bracket secured to the upper shaping block and extending along the top of the shell to the tip of the heel portion thereof, a releasable latch mounted on the bracket and adapted to engage with the upper shaping block mounted above the hollow metal shell and engaged at its forward lower part in the opening of the shell, one side portion of the upper shaping block being arranged to overlap the surface of the shell, a two-armed angle bracket secured by one of its arms to the upper shaping block and having its other arm arranged rearwardly along the top of the shell to the tip of the heel portion thereof, a releasable latch mounted on the said other arm and adapted to engage with the heel portion of the shell to secure the bracket and the upper shaping block to the shell, and a handle mounted on the bracket for manipulation of the last.

3. A hollow shoe last comprising a hollow metal shell including a toe, arch and heel portion of a shape corresponding to that of the shoe to be formed, said shell having in its upper surface a parallel-sided longitudinal opening extending from a point near the tip of the toe portion to a a point near the rear end of the heel portion and a centering recess at the front of said opening, an upper shaping block corresponding to the shape of the upper vamp of the shoe mounted above the hollow metal shell and engaged at its forward lower part in the opening of the shell and in the centering recess thereof, a two-armed angle bracket secured by one of its arms to the upper shaping block and having its other arm arranged rearwardly along the top of the shell 7 to the tip of the heel portion thereof, a releasable latch mounted on the said other arm and adapted to engage with the heel portion of the shell. to secure the bracket and the upper shaping block to the shell, and a handle mounted on the bracket for manipulation of the last.

4. A hollow shoe last comprising a hollow metal shell including a toe, arch and heel portion of a shape corresponding to that of the shoe to be formed, said shell having in its upper surface a parallel-sided longitudinal opening extending from a point near the tip of the too portion to a point near the rear end of the heel portion and a centering recess at the front end of said opening, a solid upper shaping block corresponding to the shape of the upper vamp of the shoe mounted above the hollow metal shell and engaged at its forward lower part in the opening of the shell and in the centering recess thereof, a two-armed angle bracket secured by one of its arms to the upper shaping block and having its other arm arranged rearwardly along the top of the shell to the tip of the heel portion thereof, an inwardly extending flange at the upper part of the heel portion of the shell, a pivoted latch member mounted on the said other arm of the bracket for engagement under said flange to secure the bracket and upper shaping block to the shell, and an upstanding rod secured to said other arm of the bracket to serve :1 manipulating handle for the last.

PIERRE HENRI GALLAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 264,459 Kearney Sept. 19, 11,802 560,200 Eaton -l May 1?), 1890 672,647 Parker Apr. 23, 1901 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,804 Great Britain -l of 1904 

